Envelope blanks



(N0 Mode 1. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. v P. H. RICHARDS.

MECHANISM FOR GRBASING ENVELOPE BLANKS.

Patented Apr. 20,1886,

N. PEIERS. Pllokrlilhographur, Waxhlngtnn. n. a

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

PaJteEtedApEQZO; 1886.

P., H. RICHARDS.

I Wen/tor:

MECHANISM FOR GREASING ENVELOPE 'BLA'NKS. No; 340,246.

(No Model.)

a {emu Pholo-Mhognphur. wanimm n. c.

' NITED STATES PAT NT FFICE.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE PRATT & WHITNEY OOMPAN Y, OF HARTFORD, CONN.

MECHANISM FOR CREASING ENVELOPE-BLANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,246, dated April 20, 1886.

Application filed September 7, 1885. Serial No. 176,433. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. Rrormnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Greasing Envelope-Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for creasing envelope and other blanks of paper or similar material, the object being to furnish such a mechanism adapted to be used in and constitute a part of that class of envelope-machines in which the blanks are creased in their folding-lines prior to the folding operation.

To this end the invention consists in the combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanism embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top view ofall that part of the mechanism which is below line a a, Fig. 1. Fig 3 is a vertical section in line bb, Fig.2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 3, showing the parts as situated at the beginning of the creasing operation. Fig. 4, showing the parts when said operation is partly performed. Fig. 6 is similar to Figs. 4 and 5, showing the parts at the close of said operation. Fig. 7 shows one modified construction of a part of the mechanism. Fig. 8 shows another modification of the same part. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a plain envelopeblank. Fig. 10 is a similar view of the blank after it has been submitted to the action of the mechanism.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

The base of the mechanism is designated by B. This has an arm, A, rising therefrom for carrying the upper die. Said arm has a beam ing for a vertical slide, S, which is operated by any convenient means-as, for instance, lever L, this being pivoted in link 3, or otherwise, as preferred.

It is obviously quite immaterial to my invention what devices are used to operate said slide.

The upper die, D, Figs. 1 and 2, may be formed of a single piece of metal or other hard material; but I prefer to construct it of sev- Fig. 5 is similar to eral parts, thus: 0 is a plate, usually of cast iron, which is secured to slide S. This may be done by a rigid connection; but I prefer to use the device shown, consisting of spring- 5 plate 4:, a bearing-point, and screws, as described and claimed in my application, No. 129,850, filed April 30, 1884. On its outer edges plate 0 is provided with creasers 5, the lower edges of which are preferably beveled slightly, asindicated at 6, Fig. 3. These creasers are best made of steel and tempered. The lower die is a composite one, each side being made separate from the others. In this the die proper consists of four bars, 8, so constructed and supported as to move downward when struck by the descending upper die, and to have simultaneously a closing movement derived from said downward movement. This peculiar action is indeed the chief characteristic of my present invention.

In the first six figures of drawings I have shown one way of supporting the bars so they shall operate as described.

P designates either one of four inclined spring-plates. These are usually strengthened at their lower edges by bars 9, riveted thereto at several points in their length, and are screwed to the base by screws 10, which pass through slots to permit lateral adjustment, this belng 8o effected by screws 11, as will be understood from the drawings. The bars 8 may be fastened directly to the upper edge, 12, of plates P; but as said bars are preferably made of v compressed leather, that way has not proved satisfactory. Therefore I employ a metal supporting-bar, 16, interposed between said bar 8 and plate-edge 12. This bar 16is grooved to receive and support bar 8, and is secured at numerous points in its length to edge 12 of plate P.

One object in making plate I? a spring-plate instead of a rigid one is to secure a flexibility of bar 8, whereby this shall conform perfectly to the creaser-edge 6 and accommodate inequalities in the thickness of the paper-areas ing. Obviously, if'bars 16 were rigid, this result would be prevented, for which reason-I sever these bars into short sections 18, Figs.

1 to 3. By this means the longitudinal flexi- I00 bility of the spring-plate is sufficiently retained, while bars 8 are Well supported. It

move down.

should be noted that these bars 8 are grooved or rabbeted, having a lower part, 20, and a higher part or ledge, 22, forming between them an angle, 24, Fig. 3. This slope may, however, be varied considerably without seriously affecting the efficiency of the mechanism.

The operation of my invention will be un' derstood by referring to Figs. 4 to 6. A sheet of paper, R, is first placed on the lower die, as in Fig. 4, resting on bar 8. The upper die is then brought down to the paper, and edge 6 presses it down against surface 20, as in Fig.

5, at a little distance from ledge 22. On now continuing the downward motion of said die, the bar is carried down and sidewise, as clearly indicated by the similar lines ei, closing the ledge 22 up against the side of the creaser and pressing the paper into angle 24, as in Fig. 6. This operation being simultaneously performed on the four sides, the blank shown plain in Fig. 9 is folded up, as shown in Fig. 10, without tearing or breaking the paper.

The bars 8 are not necessarily supported on the spring-plates P. There are several equivalent ways of holding them so as to secure theirproperoperation. Onewayisillustrated in Fig. 7. Here the said bar is laid in a groove in the wing W, which is pivoted at 28 under a cap, 30, a spring, 32, being arranged to hold up the wing. The operation of this form, with the exception of longitudinal fleXibility, is obviously precisely the same as that above described.

Another and very good way is illustrated in Fig. 8. In this case said bars 8 are held in grooves in bars N, arranged to slide on inclined surfaces 35, closing together as they A spring, 36, or other suitable means (not shown) is provided to move the bars upward and outward. This form, like the preceding, is obviously, with the exception noted, substantially the same as that first described.

These two modifications I intend shall respectively form in part the subject-matter of separate applications to be filed.

In another application, Serial No. 177,084, I have described and claimed a combination of mechanism in which the lower die has a closing movement after the upper die has descended thereon, said movement being there produced by means operating specially therefor, and not, as herein shown, by the upper die; hence I do not claim such subject-matter, broadly, in this application.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, in a blank-creasing mechanism, of a die of fixed size and a die consisting of a series of bars, substantially as described, having a downward and a closing movement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of upper die, D, and a lower die consisting of a series of rabbeted bars supported on spring-plates, whereby said bars are caused to have a closing movement derived from their downward movement, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with die D, of springplates P, bars 16, divided into sections, as described, bars 8, supported in said sections, and means, substantially as described, for holding said plates P, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of creaser5, bar 8, having surface 20, ledge 22, and angle 24, and means, substantially as described, supporting said bar, to have a downward and simultaneously a closing movement, substantially as set forth.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

()LUF TYBERG, FRANK H. PIERPONT. 

